Whether or not writer John Gatins wins the Academy Award for best original screenplay, his humbling reaction to Emma Stone calling out his name correctly - during the nominee announcements -- is already in the vault of Oscar’s most memorable moments.

“I’m truly humbled. This nomination represents the 12 years I spent writing the script married with the most amazing performance by Denzel Washington, and capped by the genius vision of Robert Zemeckis,” said Gatins (pronounced GATE-INS not GAW-TINS), who has been nominated for best original screenplay for “Flight.” “Words cannot explain the honor I feel to have my name on the same poster as Bob, Denzel, John Goodman…”

Even after what has probably been a whirlwind of Oscar soirees, Gatins remained surprised by the attention.

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“I’m so blown away,” he said, during a phone interview from Los Angeles. “It’s a movie that doesn’t fit the typical studio film (or Hollywood formula).”

That formula, for example, would include the protagonist (with a goal), antagonist (puts obstacles in path of the goal) and sidekick or relationship character (helps the protagonist reach goals) and some sort of theme. There are lots of other ingredients, but that’s the meat and potatoes of it.

Gatins’ formula is peppered with spicy material and themes that many writers avoid.

“It has a complex conflicting character at its center,” Gatins said, during a phone interview from Los Angeles.

“It deals with addiction (drug and alcohol), huge beliefs in God. There was a lot of searching around,” with respect to faith and religion, all those kind of things,” added Gatins, a native New Yorker and the son of a NYPD officer.

After graduating Vassar College in 1990, Gatins moved to Los Angeles. Being a drama major, he pursued a career in acting but what evolved was a talent for writing and directing. He made his directorial debut with his own screenplay, “Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story,” starring Dakota Fanning and Kurt Russell. His most recent screenplay, “Real Steel” which was released in 2011, stars Hugh Jackman but includes a character named “Kingpin” played by Gatins himself.

His previous work involved writing assignments, but “Flight” is his original story. The complex character at its center is Capt. “Whip” Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot with a fondness for flight attendants, cocaine and alcohol, who miraculously lands a broken jetliner. Following the amazing landing Whip is hailed as a hero, but then more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault in bringing the plane down.

“Before the movie fully came together,” Gatins recalled, in the production notes, “I sat down with Denzel for two hours and he told me his reaction to the script. It struck many notes for him. He said, ‘You know, this is dangerous material,’ with a kind of smile. I could tell that it really fascinated him.”

Washington also pressed Gatins on his personal connection to the film.

“The first time I sat down with Denzel to talk about the script he immediately went to ‘that’ place because he’s an actor who needs to know it all,” Gatins said. “He has a process by which he immediately zeroed in on me and said, ‘Tell me that story. I get that you did research about every plane that’s ever crashed, and what could happen to the plane in our movie, but I really want to know about your personal story. How did you come to this and where are you at with your own disease as far as addiction is concerned?’ We had a very wide-open conversation. He was amazing in that way.”

The story also touches on phobias.

“I’m scared of flying, always have been,” he said. While working on the movie “Behind Enemy Lines” he had the opportunity to talk with Navy pilots who served as advisers on the set. “I was fascinated by them.”

The pilots shared with Gatins some of their most insane stories about what they had to do to land these planes on ships in rolling seas. These vivid stories alone would trigger the imagination of a writer – especially one who harbors a fascination and a fear of flying. However, what really set the wheels in motion was the flight home.

“I sat next to a pilot” Gatins said. And of course his neighbor – watching the preflight goings on – struck up a conversation about flying including who might be pushing the throttle on the 50-ton piece of metal that would climb to seven miles into the air and blast across the earth going around 550 mph. Gatins should have put on a headset and tuned him out, but the idea of a stranger having that much control, the talent it takes to fly, the technology involved, intrigued him.

It led to Gatins’ 12-year-odyssey that ultimately brought “Flight” to the screen and Gatins to the 85th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and Sunday’s Oscars.

What’s next for Gatins?

Besides enjoying his walk on the red carpet and his first big opportunity to mingle with his Hollywood heroes, Gatins said he will be returning to the Motor City (“Real Steel” was filmed here). “I’m the writer and producer on ‘Need for Speed,’” he said. “We’ll be based in Atlanta but we’re doing a cool sequence in Detroit.”

The Oscar nominations for “Flight,” (Paramount) include best actor Denzel Washington and John Gatins’ original screenplay.

Hit the red carpet!

Ever wondered what it might be like to attend the Academy of Motion Picture Awards? The Oscar Experience sponsored annually by MJR Southgate Digital Cinema 20 gives everyone the chance to imagine it.

WHAT: Donations are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Admission includes costume and prize raffle and Innovative Food Stations featuring hors d’oeuvres, desserts, wine, Pepsi and of course - popcorn. Advance tickets can be charged online at scponstage.com or by calling the Southgate Community Players at 734-282-4727.